Generally, a copying machine referred to as electronic photo-copying apparatus is able to copy a document on copy paper having one of various sizes such as A3, A4, B4, or B5. The copying machine is also able to copy on copy paper of each size above-mentioned in either longitudinal or lateral direction. Accordingly, for example, in the case of using cassettes for storing sheets of copy paper, the copying machine has to be prepared with some paper feed cassettes classified by each size of copy paper and/or by each feeding direction thereof.
However, in the copying machine above-mentioned, every time the size or feeding direction of the copy paper is changed, replacement work for the paper feed cassettes is necessary. Even in the case where some of paper feed cassettes are housed beforehand in the copying machine so as to solve the above problem, a problem is still presented in that the copying machine tends to become bulky.
Therefore, a copying machine designed to solve the above problems has been disclosed in Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent Application No. 121059/1981, wherein the machine comprises a direction switching device for performing a 90-degree turn in the feeding direction of copy paper by attracting it on its conveying way according to the necessity so as to optionally feed copy paper in either longitudinal or lateral direction depending on each size of each feeding direction thereof.
However, in the copying machine having the above direction switching device, there are still presented problems in that the direction switching device itself tends to become bulky and it tends to be difficult to determine the conveying direction of copy paper accurately after the direction switching process.
Recently, there has been designed a copying machine which has one or more rotatable paper feed cassettes capable of interchangeably executing a 90-degree turn in the feeding direction of copy paper thereof between the longitudinal and lateral feeding directions. In the copying machine as described above, however, when the copying machine body is in operation, the rotatable paper feed cassettes are brought into unoperable condition.
The reason is that, since power supply for the driving motor for rotating copy paper in the paper feed cassette is usually performed from the power source device of the copying machine main body, when it is designed to operate the copying machine main body and the driving motor for the rotatable paper feed cassettes at the same time, it is necessary to make the capacity of its power source substantially great, and therefore this causes the whole apparatus to be more expensive.
Nevertheless, it will bring a better operation efficiency to permit the apparatus to have the simultaneous operations between the copying machine main body and the driving motor for the rotatable paper feed cassettes. This is because waiting time can be eliminated which is required for switching the feeding directions of copy paper. By achieving the above arrangement, the copying machine can eliminate loss of personnel expenses due to the waiting time, and this advantage will more than cover an increase in cost due to having a more expensive power source device. In addition, the above problems are common in any electronic photo-copying apparatus whether or not it is a copying machine having one or more rotatable paper feed cassettes.